Scenes From A Revolution: The Birth of the New Hollywood

About the Book

With behind-the-scenes gossip creating as much drama as the movies themselves, Hollywood in 1967 showcased the future of film in more ways than one. From the anti-heroes of Bonnie and Clyde and the illicit sex of The Graduate to the race relations of In The Heat of the Night, suddenly no subject was taboo. This was a time of turbulence as hip young filmmakers embodying the restlessness and rebellion of a changing America wrought radical changes to the traditions of cinema.
Scenes from a Revolution is an exceptional analysis of the films shortlisted for the Best Picture Academy Award of 1967 as well as an illuminating window into the popular culture of the time.

About the Author :
Mark Harris graduated from Yale University in 1985 with a degree in English. In 1989, he joined the staff of Entertainment Weekly, a magazine published by Time Inc. covering movies, television, music, video and books. Mark worked on the staff of the magazine, first as a writer and eventually as the editor overseeing all movie coverage, from its launch in early 1990 until 2006. He now writes a column for the magazine called The Final Cut. He lives in New York City with his partner, the playwright Tony Kushner.

Review :
Contains enough tantrums, firings and exposed star insecurities to thrill the most jaded Hollywood-watcher . . . a terrifically enjoyable read. Harris's book is racy, wise and deeply funny...All human life is here and most of Hollywood too. Absolutely wonderful. An extraordinary book that combines social and pop history in an unputdownable volume. Mark Harris understands that film making depends less on creative talent than on social connections, bullshit, and work done in restaurants. As an exercise in social gossip (and incest), Scenes from a Revolution is hard to beat. Harris's book initially overlaps with Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, Peter Biskind's roaring study of 1970s US cinema. But in fact it stands shoulder to shoulder with it, like a better organized 1960s prequel. Beyond the intrigue and the gossip, Scenes from a Revolution is a persuasive account of one of the turning points in our cultural history. A fresh and detailed portrait of counter-culturalism on the move through American cinema. Harris' style is easy and lucid and well-worth spending time with. Impeccably researched, engagingly written and remarkably readable . . . the real joy here is the elegant flow of Harris' narrative, moving seamlessly from picture to picture and presenting a thorough, and entertaining, look at a turbulent time. A near-faultless work of film criticism Excellent . . . might justly claim to explain how Hollywood came to be what Hollywood has become. [Harris] is excellent on shifting attitudes towards race and homosexuality, but the real entertainment here comes from unsparing depictions of back-room machinations, business betrayals and egos so beastly Dr Dolittle would struggle to tame them. The depth and scope of Harris' research, coupled with his nose for a good anecdote, bring to life the book's dramatis personae of visionary egomaniacs and Machiavellian rainmakers. If you can get to the last page without having rented all five DVDs, I'd like to know how. Very entertaining and full of characters . . . lots of dueling egos and bad behaviour.